Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Jul;17(3):298-302.
doi: 10.4103/0972-2327.138505.

Myopathies of endocrine disorders: A prospective clinical and biochemical study

Vikas Sharma  1 , Papori Borah  1 , Lakshya J Basumatary  1 , Marami Das  1 , Munindra Goswami  1 , Ashok K Kayal  1
Affiliations

Myopathies of endocrine disorders: A prospective clinical and biochemical study

Vikas Sharma et al. Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2014 Jul.

Abstract

Introduction: MAJOR CATEGORIES OF ENDOCRINE MYOPATHY INCLUDE THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH: Adrenal dysfunction (as in Cushing's disease or steroid myopathy); thyroid dysfunction (as in myxedema coma or thyrotoxic myopathy); vitamin D deficiency; parathyroid dysfunction; and pituitary dysfunction. Steroid myopathy is the most common endocrine myopathy.

Objective: To study the etiology, varied presentations, and outcome after therapy of patients with endocrine myopathies.

Materials and methods: MYOPATHY WAS EVALUATED BY THE STANDARD CLINICAL PROCEDURES: Detailed clinical history, manual muscle strength testing, and creatine phosphokinase (CPK). Endocrine disorders were diagnosed as per clinical features and biochemical parameters. The treatment was given to patients as per underlying endocrine disease. Myopathy was assessed before and after treatment.

Results: Out of the 37 patients who were diagnosed with endocrine myopathies, thyroid dysfunction was the most common cause (17 cases), followed by vitamin D deficiency in nine, adrenal dysfunction in six, parathyroid dysfunction in three, and pituitary dysfunction in two. Some patients had atypical presentation (repeated falls in one, tongue fasciculations in one, neck weakness in five, one with ptosis and facial weakness, asymmetrical onset in one, and calf hypertrophy in one. The serum creatine kinase (CK) concentration did not correlate with muscle weakness. Following the treatment regimen which was specific for a given myopathy, 26 patients recovered fully.

Conclusion: We found varied clinical presentations of endocrine myopathies. All the patients with neuromuscular complaints should be investigated for endocrine causes because significant number of them recovers fully with specific treatment.

Keywords: Endocrine; myopathy; reversible.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: Nil

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Atypical manifestations in cases
Figure 2
Figure 2
Radiograph showing looser zone (arrow) in the femoral neck of an adult with osteomalacia
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Goldberg AL, Tischler M, DeMartino G, Griffith G. Hormonal regulation of protein degradation and synthesis in skeletal muscle. Fed Proc. 1980;39:31–6. - PubMed
    1. Robert L Ruff. Endocrine myopathies (hyper and hypofunction of adrenal, thyroid, pituitary, parathyroid glands and iatrogenicmyopathy) In: Engel AG, Banker BQ, editors. Myology. New York: McGraw-Hill; 1986. p. 1871.
    1. Griggs RC, Mendell JR, Miller JR. Evaluation and Treatment of Myopathies. Philadelphia: F.A Davis; 1995. Myopathies of systemic disease; pp. 355–76.
    1. Horak HA, Pourmand R. Endocrine myopathies. Neurol Clin. 2000;18:203–13. - PubMed
    1. Rao SN, Katiyar BC, Nair KR, Misra S. Neuromuscular status in hypothyroidism. Acta Neurol Scand. 1980;61:167–77. - PubMed